Here’s how Manchester United has performed through their first 24 matches under Louis van Gaal: 12 wins, 8 draws, 4 losses, 44 points. They’re in 4th place, one ahead of fifth place Tottenham, one point behind third place Southampton.
The Man United of Louis van Gaal have a 40-23 goal differential, and 7 clean sheets. Their away form reads 3 wins, 7 draws and 2 losses.
However, how come United continues to show away form that is far beneath their home form? We’ll get to that.
Here’s how United looked through their first 24 games under David Moyes last season: 12 wins, 4 draws, 8 losses, 40 points, 7th place, 39-29 goal differential and 7 clean sheets. The Moyes era away form looked like this: 6 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses.
The only two differences between this season and the one year disaster that was David Moyes are:
1.) De Gea has emerged to become the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, he’s responsible for somewhere between 6-9 of United’s points this season, and
2.) Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal and Tottenham are worse and/or started slower than they did last season. That’s why they’re third this season and not seventh.
De Gea has carried this team. Truly he’s been the MVP. #DaveSaves is actually the only real reason they’ve improved at all under Louis van Gaal. United have only given up two more goals this season than Chelsea. You know that’s not because of their defenders! You know how much weaker United’s defense is than what Jose Mourinho has going on in that era.
Remember when Van Gaal said in the summer to judge him after three months? Then, when we were three months into the season, he said that he was wrong for making that suggestion? Van Gaal is being unnecessarily hard on himself. Let’s cut him some slack and give him some time.
Of course, he won’t do that, as he’s a fierce competitor and extreme perfectionist. Van Gaal now asks us to judge him at the end of the season:
“I am only satisfied at the end of the season – to be third and in the next round doesn’t count now.”
“We are on our way but we have to play a lot of matches still and there are still three to go to the final. That is our goal. We have to wait and see if we reach that goal.”
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital, eBay, Google News and CBS Interactive Inc.
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